Apparatus for playing race games



l -to be made from stampings and the assemf 4To whom t may concern: v

` mechanical toy.

Panarea .Saly 17, 1923.

APArErVr ottici-1'.

HENRY THOMAS BROOKER, 0F 'SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, ENGLAND.

, lArrnnyrus ron PLAYING :anonv GAMES.

l Application filed December 21, 1922. Serial No. 608,801.

Be it known that I, HENRY THOMAS Bn'ookna, a subject of -the King of Great Britain, residing at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, have invented certain newv and 'useful Improvements in Apparatus for Playing Race Games, lof which the following v is a specification.

'bla' e of the various components does. not

vanced along a track towards a target by a cal .for `highly skilled assemblers. The invention constitutes a new or improved apparatus of the 'mechanical race' game type.

4Under a feature ofthe present invention there is provided apparatus 'for playing a race or the like game wherein each propelled unit of an abreast seresvof units is adseries. of intermittent thrusts-imparted .by an actuating device through the mediation j of afreely moving propellm unit, this pro'- polling unit co-operating wit the'actuatinio,

`device so that the serlesA of intermittent thrustsfare variable bothin magnitude and period.

Under a. further feature of the present in .vention there is provided means common to all lof the propelling' units for actuating the propelling units to impart to the model ligv ures a series of intermittent thrusts.

fio

ceivin'g'the thrusts each model figure is pro l ThusV under thepresent invention an apparatus comprisesa'board lor table having guide-ways or tracks for the'reception of propelledunits, as for example,` model tigures such as horses or motor-cars. At one -end of each` of the guide-ways or tracks d5 thereis provided means for actuating a prof polling unit, this propelling unit imparting to the model gure in the guide-wa or track 'a series'v of intermittent thrusts. pon re pelledalong its: particular `guide-way to- 1 Wardsa tar t or lindicator arrangedxatjor I f. adjacent 'to-:t e endof theguideway remote.

f from that having the the ropellingunit.

to apparatus for of the apparatus underV actuating means forY L' 9 onv the' model ligure 3 andthe otherfele'. T e target maybesoarranged, as by the provision of an engagingpiec'e, as. to 'be moved from its normal position to an indieating position when the model figure comes.

into contact with the engaging piece, the target or indicator when raised thus signifying that the model gure had reached the allotted distance of travel.

The propelling units for al1 the guideways may be under the action of a single actuating device, which device -may be so arranged as to receive motion at irregular intervals from a tappet device as for example a rotating disc or wheel having a contact' an appropriate part of piece for engaging the actuating device.

The actuating device may comprise a rocker bar one arm of the bar operating on' the aforementioned propelling units when the other end of the bar is pushed by the tappet device.

In the'accompanying drawings there is shown by way of example an apparatus made according tothe present; invention Fig. 1 is a plan view, Fig. 2 a. sectional side view onthe line A-A.- (Fig. l), while Figs?) and d are detail views hereinafter referred toz- Referring to the drawings there is pro# vided it base board 1 having a series of tracks 2 thereon. Each track 1s so arranged as to receive and retain therein a model Iigure 3 adapted. to move freely'therealong A rockerbari is fulcrumed on the base board 1 so that 'one arm thereof extends across the' tracks at or near to the bottom ends thereof.

interposed between the model` igures' and the rocker bar arm are 5 in the form of steel balls.

Thefarm ofthe rocker bar 4 may have a resilient pad 4** at the part contacting with the propelling units'5.

propelling units The'other arm of the rocker bar Liis under the influence .of atappet .device 5 carried by a suitably mounted rotating` ,disc or vwheel 6, movement being imparted thereto. by :a Awinding movement ainda;v sudden 01.'v quick release.- v

At .or near to the top end of each track 2 is arranged a pivoted targetor indicator 7 ico the normal positions of these ets 0r indi# cators be'ingin substantial parav eliSm-w'ith the tra'ck surface' as shewn in Fig; 1;

(3o-operating means having one-.element ment"8fron the target`or'.indicators?? 'are providedwherebyfupona model hav-` l ports 10.

For convenience vof manufacture the series of targets or indicators 7 may have a common pivot bar or. rod l1 carried in suitable bearings. Further the tracks may be formed by a series of spaced strips or laths l2 mounted on studs or spacing strips 13.

Provision is made as by slipper and guide connections between the model figures and the tracks for preventing withdrawal of the model igures in an upward direction.v

The rocker bar 4 is moved to contact with the tappet device 5a when commencing a game., Upon movement of the rocker bar 4 by the tappet device 5a the propelling units or balls 5 impart a thrust or push to the model figures 3 and move these a certain distance along the tracks2. Upon cessation of the thrust the propellingl units 5 by reason of the general slope of the tracksQ fall back to the rocker bar 4 and the return action of one or more of these propelling units 5 assists in again bringing the rocker barunder the influence of the tappet device 5a. rlhe pivotal setting of the rocker bar may be such that this normally returns to contact position with the tappet device.

The continued action of the rocker bar 4 on the propellin units 5 is variable. both in the magnitude o the force or thrust imparted and' the moment or period of action, as these conditions are determined by the fall Y l 0r return of the propelling units 5 which fall orfreturn becomes irregular, the return of the series of propelling units 5 being scarcely ever in unison. yThus the advance of any one of the model figures 3 towards the targets 7 is variable in relationship to the remainder of the model figures.

Means may be provided. whereby the leverage action on the propelling` units may be compensated for so that the maximum thrust imparted to the propelling units will not be governed by the distance of each unit from the ulcrum. For example resilient buiers of varying capacity for softening lthe impact may be provided on the rocker bar by which a yielding thrust is imparted to the propelling uni A. reciprocating bar may take tlie place of a rocker bar, in which case suitable linking mechanism will be interposed between this reciprocating bar and the tappet mechamsm. v

board, an

A scoring board and other convenient or desirable fittings or attachments may be provided.

Suitable stops and catches may be provided for the rocker bar whereby its various positions may be controlled. For example a pivoted stop 14 may be provided for retaining the rocker bar in its normalor out of action position.

Various devices may be used for imparting movement to the tappet device. For example an electrical or clockwork driven unit may take the place of the spinning Wheel or disc 6.

What I claim is l. Game playing apparatus comprising a board, an abreast series of tracks thereon, the tracks sloping to one end, a corresponding series of units mounted capable of propu sion along the tracks, an actuating device in each track for imparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein to advance it therealong, the actuating devices being returned by gravity along the sloping tracks after impact, means `for intermittently impelling the actuating devices, and indicating means at the finishing end of the tracks adapted to be operated from a normal to an indicating position by a unit as it completes its allotted distance of travel.

2. Game playing apparatus comprising a board, an abreast series of tracks thereon, the 'tracks sloping to one end, a corresponding series of figures mounted capable of propulsion along the tracks, a freely moving propelling unit 1n each track for imparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein to advance it therealong, the propelling units being returned by gravity along the slopin tracks after impact, means common to a the propelling units for intermittently impelling these, and indicating means at the finishing end of the tracks adapted to be operated from a normal to an indicating position by a unit as it completes its allotted distance of travel.

3. Game ylaying apparatus comprising a aliireast series of tracks thereon, the tracks sloping to one end, a corres onding series of units mounted capable o propulsion along the tracks, an actuating device in each track for imparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein to advance it therealong, the actuating devices being returned by gravity along the sloping tracks after impact, means for intermittently impelling the actuating devices so that the series of intermittentl thrusts are variable both in magnitude and period, and indicating means at the finishing end of the tracks adapted to be operated from a normal to an indicating position by a unit as it completes its allotted dlstance of travel.

4. Game playing apparatus comprising a board, an abreast series of tracks thereon,

. the tracks sloping to one end, a corresponding series of units mountedcapable of propulsion along the tracks, an actuating device in each track for imparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein vto advance it therealong, the actuating devices. being returned by gravity 'along the slping tracks after impact, and means for intermittently impelling the actuating devices so that a series of intermittent thrusts are given that are variable both in magnitude and period.

5. Game laying apparatus comprising a board, an a reast series of tracks thereon, the tracks sloping to one end, a corresponding series of units mounted capable of propulsion along the tracks, anv actuating device 1n each track forimparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein to advance it therealong, the actuating devices being returned by gravity along the sloping tracks 'after impact, means for intermittently impelling the actuating devices, a tappet device for actuating the impelling means, and indicating means at the finishing end of the tracks' adapted to be operated from a' normal to an indicating position by a unit as it completesits alloted distance of travel;

6. Game laying apparatus comprising a board, an aibreast series of tracks thereon,

the trackssloping to one end, a corres onding series of units mounted capable oy propulsion along .the tracks, an actuating d evice in each track for imparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein to advance it therealong, the actuating devices being f returned by gravity along the sloping tracks after impact, a rocker bar for intermittently impelling the actuating devices, a tappet device for actuatingthe rocker bar, and indicating means at the finishing end of the tracks adapted to be operated from a normal to an. indicatingmsition by ya unit as 5, it completes its allotte 4 board, an abreast series of tracks thereon,

distance of travel'. 7. Game playing apparatus comprising a v the. tracks sloping to one end, a-corresnonding series of units mounted capable of propulsion along the tracks, an actuating device in each track for imparting intermit tent thrusts to the unit therein to advance it therealong, the actuating devices being returned by gravity along the sloping tracks after impact, means for intermittently impelling the actuating devices, and a plurality of yinc'iicat'ors mounted on-a common l pivot bar at the finishing end ofthe tracks,

each indicator adapted to be operated from` a normal to an indicating position by a' unit as itcompletes its allotted distance of travel.

8. Gamev playing; apparatus comprising a boardan abreast serles of tracks thereon,

the tracks sloping to one end, a corresponding series of units mounted capable of Ap-ropulsion along the tracks, an actuating device in each track for imparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein to advance it therealong, the actuating devices being returned by gravit along the sloping tracks after impact, a roc er bar for intermittently impelling the actuating devices, means for compensating the leverage action of the rocker bar, and indicating means at the nishing end of the tracks adapted to be operated from a normal to an indicating position by a unit as it completes its allotted distance of travel.

9. Game playing apparatus' comprising a board, an abreast series of tracks thereon,

the tracks sloping to one end, a corresponding series of figuresv mbunted capable of propulsion along the tracks, a freely moving propelling unit in each track for imparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein to, advance it`therealong,' the propelling units being returned by gravity along the sloping tracks after impact, and

means for intermittently impelling the pro- V pelling units so that a series of intermittent thrusts are given that are variable both in the sloping tracks after impact, means or intermittently impelling the actuating devices, and indicating means at the inlshing end of the tracks adapted to be operated from a normal to an indicating position by a unit as it completes its allotted distance of travel. L

11. ,Game laying apparatus comprising a board, an a reast series of tracks thereon,

lthe tracks sloping to one end, a corresponding series of units mounted capable of propulsion along the tracks, a freely moving ball in each track vfor-imparting intermittent thrusts to the unit therein toadvance it therealong, the balls being returned by gravity along thesl-oping tracks after impact, a rocker bar for intermittently imt polling the actuating devices, a tappet devicefor. actuating the rocker bar, and indicating means at the finishing end of the tracks adapted to be operated 4from a normal to an vindicating. position by a unit as it completesits. allotted distance of travel.

12. Game paying apparatus comprising a board, an abreast series of tracks thereon,

the tracks sloping'to one end, a correspond- 'ing series of units mounted capable of propulsion along 'the tracks, a freely moving ball `in eachtrack for imparting intermittent thrustsv to the unit therein to advance it therealong, the balls being returned by gravity along the sloping tracks after impact, a rocker bar for intermittently impelling the actuating devices, a tappet device 5. for actuating the rocker bar, and a plurality of indicators mounted on a common pivot bar at the finishing end of the tracks, each indicator adapted to be operated from a normal to an indicating position by a unit as it completes its allotted'distance of travel. 10

In testimony' whereof, I ailix my signa- `ture.

HENRY THOMAS BROOKER. 

